


Cat Scratch Fever

by Tobi_Boone



Category: CATZ
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-25 08:51:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4954051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tobi_Boone/pseuds/Tobi_Boone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Rum Tum Tugger may be a curious beast but he keeps finding his eyes lingering on the mysterious Mr. Mistoffelees.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cat Scratch Fever

Mr. Mistoffelees sauntered through the junkyard, he felt quite content and at ease as the crescent moon shown on his back, he was heading home after a long night of caterwauling and cavorting with the other cats and was looking forward to a day spent in the windowsill or the hall curled up and napping. He smiled at his thoughts and continued on, humming a bit, until he felt a presence behind him. Mistoffelees twitched his whiskers and slowly turned, hackles rising and ready for a fight until he sighed and rolled his eyes,

“Tugger, what is wrong with you??”

The Rum Tum Tugger smirked and swaggered over, “Whassamatta Mist? You,” He wiggle his fingers over Mistoffelees should, “Nervous?”

“Cautious, not nervous.” Mistoffelees corrected.

“Huh, that why your lil tail is up in a puff?” Rum Tum Tugger walked around Mistoffelees and flicked the younger black tom’s tail.

Mistoffelees jumped, glaring at the tiger tom, his lip curling, “Knock it off!”

“Or what? You’ll tell Munkustrap?” The tom rolled his eyes, “C’mon, I’m only playing, _house cat_.”

Mistoffelees’s eyes narrowed, “What did you call me?”

Tugger stopped with his back to Mistoffelees, he wasn’t trying to goad the tom into a fight, but it was cute the way the little puffball got all excited like that, “You heard me.”

Mistoffelees snarled and leaped in front of Tugger, “Take that back!! I’m a Jellicle cat and you know it!”

Tugger smiled and stroked Mistoffelees’s cheek affectionately, catching him by surprise, “Alright, you’re a big,” He bumped foreheads with him, “Tough,” rubbed his shoulder against him, “Scary,” cheeks pressed together, “Jellicle tom cat.”

Tugger stepped back, watching with amusement as Mistoffelees lost his footing from leaning on the big tom and had to right himself, clearing his throat and trying to compose his face into a scowl again,

“Good, glad you admit it freely.”

“Mhm, now you scurry off to your nice warm home, I’m sure little Carry is missing her favorite dolly.” Tugger smiled but then had to leap back hissing as Mistoffelees threw himself forward with claws unsheathed.

“Bastard! Filthy alley cat! I hope you rot!” And with that the tiny black tom retreated out of the junkyard toward the large townhouse he called home.

Rum Tum Tugger smiled and touched the scratches on his cheek, wincing at the sting, he turned and saw his big brother Munkustrap leaning against a heap of tires,

“And what’re you lookin’ at?” Tugger growled, pulling his lips up over his long fangs.

Munkustrap crossed his paws and glared, “You shouldn’t tease him like that! He’s one of us after all.”

“I was only playin’.” Tugger huffed and turned to race back through the mounds of garbage, glaring over his shoulder in time to see Munkustrap right behind him, soon joined by Alonzo and Tumblebrutus.

Tugger growled and leaped up onto some wooden boards slung between two mounds of trash, balancing his way to the far side and perching up on an old rocking chair. He sighed heavily and waited for the sun to come up and warm his fur. He watched them all scurry about, playing stupid games that never ended and frisking about, there were Plato and Victoria, doing something or other with a crumpled ball of paper . . . Cassandra sat with Coricopat and Tantomile, the twins were telling the queen a story . . . over there was Electra and Etcetera, they kept making shy glances up to him . . . and over there was his best friend, Admetus, just sitting there watching him until the ginger tom rose to his feet and climbed up to Tugger’s perch,

“And you’re suddenly anti-social because . . . ?”

Tugger sniffed and looked away, “No reason, just felt like a bit of alone time is all.”

“Tug, you _hate_ not being the center of attention.” Admetus pointed out, raising an eyebrow and crossing his paws after kneading an old rug until it was comfortable.

“Well, right now I don’t want to be, I do what I want!” Tugger snapped, causing Admetus to glare at him until he sat back down.

“This has to do with Mistoffelees, doesn’t it?” Admetus pointed out, closing his eyes and tucking his paws under his chest.

“ . . . no.” Tugger mumbled, glancing to where Munkustrap was being fawned over by Jellylorum and the kits.

“Liar.” Admetus said, cracking one eye to look at his friend.

“Well, who are you now? Coricopat? So what if it was? I was just teasing!” Tugger growled and stood up, absently touching the scratches on his cheek.

“He did that?” Admetus stood up slowly, staring at Tugger.

“ . . . yeah . . . “ Tugger glanced to the side and sighed heavily.

Admetus smacked Tugger upside the head, “What’d you do this time?”

“Ow! Watch the head, Ads!” Tugger grumbled, rubbing his noggin irritably.

“Why do you always have to pick on him? One minute you’re gushing to everyone about how amazing he is and the next you’re poking fun at him and riling him up!” Admetus’s fur spiked on his shoulder blades and neck, “Why do you have to be so stupid sometimes?”

“I ain’t stupid!” Tugger snapped, “It was all in fun!”

“Oh really? And who’s fun exactly? You should go and apologize before Munku makes you.” Admetus turned to leave, glancing over his shoulder, “He’s very sensitive, you know.”

Tugger was left alone on the perch, glancing down to see his brother staring at him disapprovingly, but that wasn’t new . . . Tugger huffed and sat down again, watching the first rays of sunlight creep over the garbage.

* * *

It was hot and Tugger was starving, he ambled through the alleys until he found himself outside of Misto’s windows completely by accident, he smirked and was about to leap over the fence into the backyard when he heard voices.

“Now, stand still, Mista Mi’toffelees!”

Tugger peeked into a crack, Misto mewed obligingly and sat back on his haunches, he was dressed in a frilly doll’s gown and bonnet, Tugger almost burst into laughter at the sight . . . almost.

Carry, the little red-headed girl that Misto belonged to giggled and clapped her hands, then scooped Misto up, nuzzling his face. Tugger watched as the black cat purred loudly and rubbed his face all over the little girl’s cheeks and hands. Tugger swallowed and backed up slowly, biting his lip.

Misto sighed as he was finally divested of the gown and Carry was called in for lunch, he shook his head and smiled then blinked when he caught a scent, he turned and looked at the fence, only to see Tugger walking away.

* * *

That night Tugger sat up on the back of an old Cadillac that was rusting away under a pile of junk, he watched as Misto slunk into the Jellicle camp, the tom froze when he noticed Tugger watching him, he scowled,

“So, you saw me with Carry, are you going to make fun of me again? Make tasteless jokes, hm?” His hackles rose and he pulled back his lip.

But, Tugger just sat there quietly, watching Misto. The smaller tom blinked and stated at the tiger-tom,

“What? Don’t you have anything to say?”

Tugger shrugged, “You looked cute in a dress . . . “

Misto glared at him and huffed, “Exactly what I’d expect from a-“

“Looked like fun,” Tugger continued, “Not the dress bit I mean, but the . . . the cuddles.” He wriggled when he said the word, making sure he couldn’t scent anyone around.

Misto blinked in surprise, “ . . . who are you and what have you done with the Rum Tum Tugger?”

“Oh, very funny! I’m still a feral Jellicle alright?” Tugger snapped, crossing his paws and glaring.

“No, it’s just . . . “ Misto shrugged, “You’ve openly told the others how much you hate humans and . . . I don’t know, I can’t help but wonder why.”

Tugger blinked, his gold eyes widening as memories of a sack and water and human voices filled his head, he gasped and quickly shook his head, “Nuthin! I didn’t say anything, just forget it!” And with that he streaked away.

Misto blinked and watched after where Tugger had been moments before, he sighed and climbed up onto the car, nudging the rags that Tugger had arranged into a sort of nest and curled up into them,

“ . . . it’s alright, we’ll talk later.” He whispered, closing his eyes.

Coricopat and Tantomile glanced at each other knowingly before slinking away into the darkness.


End file.
